WARNING: Long read ahead. I’d be delighted and honoured if you didn’t TL;DR me, simply hit play above and read on down the page – pretend it’s a Sunday paper or something… As always there’s an interesting story behind the mix.

The temptation to call this mix “Gumboots: Accordion Jive Hits, Volume 2” was huge, but it would be misleading.

By way of explanation, if you google “Gumboots: Accordion Jive Hits, Volume 2”, you may well be surprised at the number of results. A popular record, you might think; well known and discussed. But try to find a copy, and you’ll while away a day or more clicking from site to site around the world, maybe chancing upon “Greatest Accordian Jive Hits, Volume 3” or even “Sax & Accordion Jive Hits, Volume 1“. But Volume 2? Not a sniff.

The “Gumboots” album, should you be unaware, has been awarded it’s place in history due to a cassette copy which found its way into Paul Simon’s car stereo sometime in 1984-85 and providing him with the initial inspiration to seek out (and eventually travel to South Africa to record with) the musicians playing on the album. An occurence that has been documented virtually every time the story of “Graceland”s creation has been told, over the course of thousands of interviews, several documentaries, and now again with the release of a 25th anniversary edition and an accompanying tour with Simon reuniting on stage with many of the original album’s participants.

So, considering the legacy of “Gumboots”, one would imagine any music-minded enterpreneurial soul, or even Gallo, the label that allegedly released the original album, would jump at the chance to re-issue such inspirational recordings and make a few bucks off the back of the multi-million selling “Graceland”. Standard form for the music industry, indeed, but in this case, nothing.

(I say Gallo allegedly released it, but as no-one I’m aware of has actually seen a copy of the album, and as repeated enquiries to the label from a multitude of Paul Simon fans have gone unanswered, no-one’s entirely sure.)

To further confound the investigation, from information given in interviews by Simon and other musicians, only one track on the original tape is actually identifiable. The “title” track, “Gumboots”, lent it’s music lock stock and barrel to become the backing track of Paul Simon’s song, also titled “Gumboots” on the finished album. Indeed it’s not difficult to imagine Simon driving around singing his prototype vocal melodies and lyrics over the bouncing mbaqanga groove.

But was the original tune actually called “Gumboots”? or did Simon just use the title scratched on the cassette as an identifier? You can see one side of the actual tape above – does it have “Gumboots” written on the other side? (It’s rather doubtful the tape came with a tracklist, as any car-driving cassette fan would understand.) There’s certainly no mention of Gumboots in the lyrics. Further Simon interview comments reveal the track originally involved The Boyoyo Boys, yet any online search for “Gumboots” by The Boyoyo Boys brings back, yup, you guessed it, thousands of results for the phantom “Gumboots Accordion Jive Hits Volume Two” album. Another dead end.

Furthermore, one would imagine somewhere along the assembly of the two very large scale re-issues of the album, someone involved might think to seek out at least this individual recording and add it to the album as a bonus track. But no, nothing.

Indeed, very little previously unheard music has been added to the original album by way of bonus material on these re-issues, despite co-producer Roy Halee’s assertion that there was more than enough material generated during the initial sessions at Ovation studios in Johannesburg: “You should hear some of the out-takes. Even today, there could be two instrumental albums consisting of those fabulous grooves.”

It’s also known, through “Graceland”s writing credits and investigation of the wealth of documentary evidence, that at least two more of the albums tracks are based on pre-existing music – On “I Know What I Know” Simon shares the writing credit with M.D. Shrinda, and on “The Boy In The Bubble”, he shares it with accordion player Forere Motloheloa (part of Tau ea Matsekha, the Lesotho group responsible for the “Bubble” backing track). Although no original titles have surfaced for the music that formed part of these songs, I’ve located what I consider to be reasonably close matches, and included them on this mix.

I’ve also included at least a handful of tracks that have surprisingly close links with riffs and melodies used on Graceland, and many, many other excellent tracks that could (and should) be considered forebears of “The Big G”. Note that I’m not making any claims of plagiarism (like I would dare!), simply demonstrating the common trading and development of grooves, basslines, horn, guitar, accordion and vocal riffs that took place between musicians at the time in both South Africa and Lesotho, and still takes place today, I hope.

As for the mysterious “Gumboots” instrumental? With no confirmation of the orginal title, and very patchy availability of The Boyoyo Boys back catalogue, it’s proved impossible to locate. I’ve included a track on the mix that The Boys recorded with Lulu Masilela (co-writer of “Gumboots” as it appears on “Gracelands”) which I consider to be it’s closest locatable relative.

I refuse to delve deeper into the discussion about whether the writing credits on “Graceland” are fair – Indeed amongst Simon’s catalogue “Graceland” is rare in the number of songwriting credits shared – proof that he was certainly not shy of demonstrating, and remunerating, the collaborative effort involved in producing the finished work.

More importantly, I must thank Paul, who, alongside sterling work by broadcasters John Peel and Andy Kershaw, both promoting similar music at the same time, opened up a new musical world to the young me, giving South African music far more of a UK (and worldwide) audience than it had previously enjoyed, and paving the way for many artists to bring that music out into the world. Also, in my opinion, he made a truly great album that, by blending his New York lyricism with another continent’s grooves, gave my young ears a taste of what marvels can be accomplished when different styles of music collide.

Compiler’s note: One of the most appealing yet frustrating characteristics of this music is it’s timelessness, both in arrangement and recording quality. I say frustrating, as it’s tough to tell the difference between an archive 1950s recording, a rather expensive studio recording from 1968 and a lo-fi shed studio recording from 1980, especially considering sound quality alterations due to poor quality vinyl, cassette-to-cassette dubbing and yes, a modern layer of MP3 encoding.

Post-1980 the differences are easier to note, as the introduction of electronic drums and early FM synthesizers give the game away somewhat, but even then dating things is not that easy. According to Global Groove’s blog, the track “He O Oe Oe!” is from a 1985 UK album, but the blog claims the original recording dates from 1981. Also the Tao Ea Lesotho tracks date from an album released in the UK by Sterns in 1988, but “Puleng” was apparently a South African hit a few years before that. The truth is very, very difficult to find, so even if a couple of these actual recordings actually don’t pre-date “Graceland”, the songs and grooves most definitely do!

Apologies also for any spelling errors in the tracklisting, and the largest of thanks to all re-issuers of this music, particularly the “Indestructable Beat Of Soweto” and “Next Stop Soweto” series of albums, and the blogs Afro Slabs, Matsuli, Electric Jive, Global Groove and Soul Safari, who do an amazing job unearthing and digitizing tons of outstanding African music.

There’s plenty more I could add about the above artists, but I’ll save that for another time – Thanks for reading and listening – hope you enjoy the mix!

I was never really a fan of Paul’s and beyond embracing “You Can Call Me Al” in my youth I don’t really recall ever really connecting with the man’s music. This adds a whole new layer of aural context to the picture for me though – thanks for the dedication to such a project Eric, this has been quite the enjoyable listen!

[…] unrelated link of the day: The Kleptones are great, and this collection of the music that influenced Paul Simon’s Graceland is a wonderful find. A happier album I’ve never heard. I feel nostalgic for the days when […]

Whoa! I spent the better part of the late 1980s commuting in and out of Silicon Valley with Graceland blaring from my heavily upgraded car stereo :-)

I am *thrilled* to be hearing this — THANK YOU THANK YOU.

It’s not like there’s any shortage of African music around nowadays, thanks in part to the folks you mention, but the care you’ve taken in stalking the origins of Graceland have made this even tastier.

[…] You all know this album and if you don’t I clearly don’t know you. To try and keep your attention I am going to post this mix of the music that influenced Paul Simon when writing and recording the album. If whilst listening to this mix you find yourself mouth agape at some of the similarities between this material and some of the songs on Graceland you will be relieved to know some writing credits were shared. The full story can be read here. […]

That means a lot – Wasn’t sure when I posted it how it would go down with you guys in SA, so I’m glad of your warm reaction – “Graceland” may not be wanted news, but this music deserves to be played often and loud, and never forgotten :)

[…] title exists. Kleptone discusses the possible provenance of the album in the notes for his mix, Paths to Graceland, which is an attempt to catalog possible influences that might have led Simon to South Africa. […]

So GOOD!!!
Thank you. I was lucky enough to meet Dicky Landy last year when he played with the Lil Band O Gold, and only then did I go back to Graceland and fully appreciate the Louisiana influence. It was the first time I’d heard of Clifton Chenier, in the back of my parents car in 86. Only years later did I hear his music.
Anyway I digress. Wonderful Compilation. Thank you!
Herb

wow, a very good mix and a fascinating article!
It helped me in writing my essay for the musicology studies in Warsaw :)) which is about the mixture of music styles on the Graceland album.
This is the only truly interesting and professionaly written text about Paul’s inspirations that I found on the internet.
thanks a lot!

You and others that enjoyed the mix may also want to check out this track by Clifton Chenier (The “King Of The Bayous”)… Try singing “That Was Your Mother” over the top of it… the phrasing is surprisingly similar, and it’s also, I think, in the same key as Paul’s tune…! ;-)

he ruined my life. i am glad world music is out there big, as i grew up with NOrwegian parents and family. with lots of accordion in my home and parties. i am the musician / singer-songwriter who worked in weird world bands, in Seattle, who came to nyc, who wrote songs, sang on millions of commercials like vw fahrvergnugen, —- simon had me blacklisted. all my songs like “HOMELESS KID” that i played for him the day i brought Ladysmith RED to his apt. — he wanted to produce me. He wanted to help me find the unique NICHE for me — I had the niche i wanted already. I wanted to do an accordion album. I loaned him my tape. He came to see me perform. I knew him from my jobs with Lorne Michaels *his bestfriend. — Paul heard and BOUGHT the rights to the albums. Nobody can find the cassettes or albums because he doesn’t want you to. You will then realize, he is a rich man, who took a young womans dream, made promises — gave her not one penny — and took lyrics, took concepts, took what should have been reciprocated or just do what he said he’d do. Taliban can lie. But Paul Simon, sounds and looks nicer than he is. He is quiet and absorbs, and steals. It’s not the first time. I just wasn’t a big fan. I wanted to do a video with Lorne, when lorne said, for me to work w/Paul to ‘help my career’. People say “why didn’t you go to the press?” —- because i needed to work. nobody likes a whiner, nor a person who exposes their ‘hero’. Let me just say, the tape that “Paul twittered” Is NOT NOT NOT the tape that i loaned him for one week. Which he did NOT give back to me until he owned it. from May 84 to October or Nov. 1984. — he’s a liar. Happy World music to you all. GIVE SCANDINAVIA CREDIT —- and all my pounding pavement to end up w/ a creep like him, who gave you all what you wanted. you’re welcome. Heidi Berg